


The Help

by WellDoneBeca



Series: Clint Barton Bingo 2019 [2]
Category: Hawkeye (Comics), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: American Sign Language, Clint Barton & Natasha Romanov Friendship, Deaf Character, Deaf Clint Barton, Don’t copy to another site, Fluff, Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Past Child Abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-07
Updated: 2019-05-07
Packaged: 2020-02-27 14:21:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 794
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18740815
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WellDoneBeca/pseuds/WellDoneBeca
Summary: He knew that story all too well. The moment he lied eyes on her, honestly, he could see how she wasn’t just a random kid. She was just like him.





	The Help

The sound of the crying, whimpering, and sniffing were what brought Clint to the centre of the room. The place was supposed to be empty, but when were missions ever what they were supposed to be?

He held his bow and an arrow, looking around silently.

“Hello,” he called, searching from the source of the noise. “Anybody there?”

There was no answer, but the noise didn’t stop. It was almost as if whoever was there hadn’t even heard him.

“Clint,” Natasha said into his ear. “What is it?”

“There’s someone in here,” he looked around. “I just can’t find them.”

There was a silence on the other side as Natasha searched around for a source of heat before answering back.

“It’s a small person,” she sounded confused. “In the end of the room, behind a table.”

He followed her directions and carefully looked over said turned table with one of the torches he carried along with his things. There was a little girl holding her knees, trying to make herself small and hide from the light.

Clint tensed up.

How the hell did she get there? Did anyone know about her presence? They were there to take some important evidence and leave. How come a kid had entered the enemy’s territory just like that and could be _alive?_

“Hey, kiddo,” he kneeled in front of her, but the girl just stared at him. “What’s your name?”

She stared at him, wide eyes glued to his mouth just as her hands clutched the dirty and old teddy bear against her chest.

“I’m Clint,” he continued. “I’m help.”

At first, she didn’t answer, and he waited. Just some long seconds later, he watched as her small hand moved up to her ear and touched it several times with an open hand, which finally made him realise what she was trying to say. Resting his arrow and bow back in place, he raised his hands to her field of vision.

 _\- I’m C-l-i-n-t, -_ he signed. - _I’m help._

Her eyes lit up in surprise, and Clint gave her a soft smile in return.

\- _Are you okay? Can you tell me your name?_

Hesitantly, the little girl released her bear and spelt Rose.

\- _That’s a very pretty name, -_ he signed. - _What are you doing here? Do you have a family?_

She signed, no, and just then Clint heard Natasha at their con again.

“We gotta go,” she warned him. “Now.”

He hesitated, still looking the little kid, and adjusted his position so he could be ready to her up.

\- _We have to go, Rose, -_ he used the sign for the flower. - _This place is not safe._

The kid hugged her bear tightly, and he opened his arms slowly, almost warning her of what he was about to do. When she didn’t show discomfort or fear, he picked her up, raising Rose in his arms and walking to the quinjet.

. . .

Natasha stood silently at Clint’s side as he watched the doctors examining the young girl. His eyes didn’t move for a single second from Rose’s figure, noticing the scars, the bony structure that showed her malnutrition and how the filthy teddy bear was still in one of her hands.

He knew that story all too well. The moment he lied eyes on her, honestly, he could see how she wasn’t just a random kid. He could almost see his father beating him again, himself and Barney running away from home and trying to find a place in the world alone, just the two of them, no money or roof. This kid was one step away from joining the circus. She was _him._

There were some steps behind the duo, and he didn’t need to turn around to recognise Sam’s walking pattern.

“Found her,” he told them. “Rose Griffin, eight years old. She ran away from home last year, her neighbour was the one who reported her going missing.”

Clint frowned. Her _neighbour_?

“What about her family?”

Sam sighed.

“She doesn’t have any grandparents or relatives. Her mother died when she was younger,” he sounded tired and uncomfortable. “Her father got a new wife and died some months before she ran away. This’s the third time she’s done so. Social service always gets her back.”

Clint’s jaw twitched.

“Not this time,” he pointed. “Get someone to look into that woman. She isn’t going back again.”

Sam raised his eyebrows in surprise.

“And where will she go?”

Clint didn’t answer. The doctor had finished examining her, and the little girl walked out of the room after putting on the fresh clothes they had found her, instantly being scooped onto the archer’s arms and burying her face in his neck, still clutching the bear.

“Isn’t it obvious?” he held her tightly. “We’re keeping her.”

 


End file.
